MOULDON HILL COUNTRY PARK

Mouldon Hill is literally a stones throw from my house , two minutes in the car and one of my favourite locations to watch and photograph wildlife.There is a real diversity in habitats, from open grass fields , river , canal , lake and woodland. Scratch below the surface and you will find there’s lots going on here , you just need a little patience !

Mouldon Hill Country Park is a country park situated on the North West edge of Swindon , owned and managed by Swindon Borough Council. The park is named after the small hill that rises above the river Ray that forms the northern boundary of the park. The park is centred around a large lake , with the river Ray meandering around the north , a restored section of the Wilts and Berks canal to the left and the Swindon to Cricklade railway to the west.

Cross a well maintained footbridge and you enter Purton Woods , owned and maintained by the Woodland Trust. In total there are about 260 acres to explore with for the most part well maintained footpaths. The car park has plenty of space and is free , unlike some of the other parks in Swindon, but note there is a height barrier at the entrance set at 2.1 metres. Mouldon Hill has its own angling club and there are plenty of benches to rest any weary legs.

The lake , surrounding fields and woods are home to a diverse range of animals and birds. Mammal highlights include Fox , Deer , Badgers and Grey Squirrels. The lake is home to a number of waterfowl , Coots , Morehen , Mallards and Swan are almost a permanent fixture and one of the small islands has had a nesting Swan for the past five seasons.

The river Ray and its banks often hosts Kingfisher and Tree creepers among others. If you’re lucky you might spot one of the Owls searching for prey in one of the open spaces. And then you have the woods with numerous woodland bird species. So on a good day Mouldon Hill has something for everyone. You can cover most of the habitats in two to three hours , equally you can spend a whole day here.

Mouldon Hill Counrty Park . Thamesdown drive , Swindon , SN251WH

FREE parking , Dog friendly , open all year.

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